Session 3 Flashcards
What are personality traits?
Durable characteristics of a person that are used to describe an individual.
What are personality types?
Collection of traits that are said to occur together in some individuals.
What are the characteristics of a type A personality?
Competitive and achievement orientated - individuals tend to be self-critical and strive towards goals without feeling a sense of joy in their efforts or accomplishments.
Time urgency - seem to always be racing against time. Quickly become impatient with delays. Keep to very tight schedules and are always trying to multitask.
Anger/Hostility - easily aroused to anger or hostility and may express it overtly.
How does the hostility of type A personality influence health?
Hostile people are more likely to develop dysrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and die before reaching their 50s. They are also likely to eat and smoke more while exercising less as compared to other personality types. This makes them more likely to be overweight as they age and have higher cholesterol and blood pressure.
How does the competitive nature of type A personalities influence their health?
Because of their drive to succeed and impulsivity, they are more likely to take risks and act without thinking and that can put their health at risk.
What are the characteristics of a type B personality?
They ave generally more relaxed and extroverted as compared to other personality types. They tend to attract the attention of individuals around them due to their engaging personalities.
How does the relaxed nature of individuals with type B personalities influence their health?
They have a higher quality of life and have a lower likelihood of suffering from heart disease. They have less anxiety and stronger immune system.
Being relaxed and managing stress effectively helps with the heart and gastrointestinal system.
How does the extroverted nature of individuals with type B personality influence their health.
They develop strong social connections and are more likely to survive heart attacks. The social support they have leads to improved coping skills, healthy behaviour and adherence to medical regiments.
How does the eager to please characteristic of individual’s with type C personalities influence their health?
They are conforming, passive and eager to accommodate which is good for patient compliance as they are more likely to take the right medicine in the right doses and at the right times once they see a doctor.
Since they deny their feelings and can’t stand up for themselves; they tend to suffer from stress and depression more than any other personality type. They also tend to suffer from autoimmune disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, lupus, et cetera.
What are the characteristics of individuals with a type D personality?
Individuals here tend to be stressed and distressed. They dwell on negative emotions and are too afraid to express themselves in social situations.
What is the influence of the stressed and distressed nature of individuals in the type D personality on the health?
There are three times more at risk for future heart problems and they face a higher likelihood of compulsive overeating and substance abuse as compared to other personality types.
Briefly explain the “hardy” personality trait.
They have a strong sense of control over their lives and they display commitment and view challenges as opportunities to better themselves rather than a threat to security.
They deal better with stress and so show less physiological strain which makes them generally healthier and the spiralling process that can lead from stress to illness should not take hold.
Briefly explain the personality trait of Sense of coherence.
Individuals with this trait view their world as comprehensible, manageable and meaningful. They have a reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Briefly explain the Resilience personality trait.
Individuals with this trait have high levels of self-esteem, optimism and personal control. They appraise negative experiences as less stressful and ‘bounce back’ from life’s difficulties.
Part of the answer to why some people are resilient and are not may lie in their genetic endowments. Resilient people may have inherited traits, such as relatively easy temperaments, that enable them to cope better with stress and turmoil.
Briefly explain the Optimism personality trait.
Optimism is the point of view that good things are likely to happen. It greatly influences physical and mental health. The rate of heart-related deaths was 50% lower among optimists than among pessimists.
Optimists have a higher quality of life and they may be more resilient in the way they deal with stress. They tend to experience life’s difficulties with less distress. They also tend to have better health habits, better mental and physical health, and faster recovery when they become ill.
